After a Christmas Eve with much of the nation left in the dark, Cubans will find no respite on Christmas Day either. The Electric Union (UNE) has announced another day of widespread blackouts for Thursday, with power outages affecting approximately 2,000 megawatts (MW) during peak hours.
The already dire state of the National Electroenergetic System (SEN) deteriorated further this morning. The Maximo Gómez thermal power plant's unit 8 in Mariel went offline due to a "leak in the economizer," according to UNE's Facebook post, which lacked additional details. To make matters worse, at 11:05 a.m., unit 3 of the CTE Carlos Manuel de Céspedes in Cienfuegos also shut down following a 6 kV trip.
These failures were compounded by simultaneous breakdowns in four other units: units 5 and 6 of the Antonio Maceo CTE, "Renté," in Santiago de Cuba; unit 5 of the Mariel CTE in Artemisa; and unit 2 of the Felton CTE (Lidio Ramón Pérez) in Holguín. Meanwhile, three other plants are offline for maintenance or due to shortages of fuel and lubricants.
Unexpected Shutdowns and Maintenance Issues
The forecast for Thursday appears as grim as that of the previous day. According to UNE's official statement, unit 6 of the Mariel CTE with 70 MW was expected to come online during peak demand hours. Additionally, the completion of unit 3 of the CTE in Cienfuegos with 50 MW was anticipated. However, it was later reported that this unit had gone out of service.
During peak hours, only 1,365 MW will be available, a bit more than a third of the maximum demand of 3,300 MW. This results in a shortfall of 1,935 MW, with the impact expected to reach 1,965 MW, similar to Wednesday's figures.
The return of unit 6 of the Mariel thermal plant, under maintenance, was also expected the previous day but did not happen. UNE indicated this as the reason for the higher-than-anticipated capacity deficit on December 24, peaking at 2,015 megawatts (MW) at 6:30 p.m. Unfortunately, the country endured blackouts throughout a day when Cubans hoped for some relief during Christmas.
Chronic Power Outages and Government Inefficiency
As of 6:00 a.m. Thursday, SEN's availability stood at a mere 1,245 MW, while demand soared to 2,100 MW, resulting in a 750 MW generation shortfall. An estimated 1,400 MW outage was expected by midday. In addition to interruptions due to breakdowns and maintenance, UNE also pointed to limitations in thermal generation, with 536 MW offline, and issues stemming from fuel and lubricant shortages, affecting a total of 813 MW.
Power outages have become a persistent issue over the past five years, intensifying in the second half of 2025 and casting a shadow over Christmas celebrations in Cuba this year. The energy crisis highlights the government's inability to provide a stable electricity service, even during times of significant importance to the populace.
Understanding Cuba's Power Crisis
What caused the recent power outages in Cuba?
The recent power outages in Cuba were caused by multiple breakdowns in key thermal power plants, including the Maximo Gómez and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes facilities, as well as fuel and lubricant shortages and maintenance issues.
How significant is the power deficit in Cuba?
The power deficit reached approximately 1,935 MW during peak demand, with only 1,365 MW available, covering just over a third of the maximum demand of 3,300 MW.
What is the impact of these power outages on Cuban citizens?
The power outages severely impacted Cuban citizens, leading to prolonged periods without electricity, disrupting daily life, and overshadowing important cultural celebrations like Christmas.